Workman Reader Ch. 4 Flashcards Preview

comparative method

Comparing differentspecies in order to add to our knowledge of anatomy, physiology or behaviour

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common ancestor

Where behavioural patterns are similar it may suggestthat the responses are ancient and might be traced back to a common ancestor

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frugivorous

fruit-eating

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mateguarding.

following a female around and mating with her intermittentlyduring her fertile period, while simultaneously chasing off other potential subordinate suitors

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provisioninghypothesis

Althoughthe provisioning hypothesis combines elements of both earlier theories, itis the hunting and meat-eating parts of the equation that it relies on mostheavily. It is certainly true that in today’s foraging societies, hunting islargely a male preserve and the gathering of plant foods is largely afemale concern

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hominids

early human-like ancestors

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polygynous

where males have more than onemate

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male parental investment

long-lasting pair bonds with male partners who wereprepared to help provide for the offspring

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cryptic oestrus

by concealingtheir period of oestrus (which they call ‘cryptic oestrus’) women may havemade men attentive to them continually, since only in this way would males beable to ensure that they father a partner’s offspring

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sexual dimorphism

the degree to which the sexes differin physical characteristics

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polyandry

where one femalemonopolises a number of males

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arbitrary culture theory

differences in chastity and in sexual permissiveness in general in terms of random differences between cultures, whichmay suggest that it is free from evolutionary influences

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sperm competition

those able to produce the largest quantitiesof sperm are most likely to inseminate a female and thereby pass on their genes

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resource extraction

female chimps and baboons will sometimesexchange sex for food

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sexy sons

may be of benefit if such women pass on these attractive features to their sonswho would then have improved chances of attracting women